Horse-power



(No Model.)

VW. DEBRING. HORSE POWER. No. 254,624. f A Patented Mar. `7, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM DEERING, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HORS E-POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming-'part of Letters Patent No. 254,624, dated March'7, 1882.

Application filed December 19, 1881.

1o all whom it may concern Beit known that I, WILLIAM DEERING, ofLouisville, county of Jefferson, State of Kentucky, have invented ordiscovered a new and useful Improvement in Horse-Powers; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accom panyingdrawing,making a part of this specification, which is a view in elevation of ahorse-power illustrative of my invention.

My present invention relates chiefly to that class of horse-powers whichare used in barns and gin-houses, and which require the use of some partof the frame-work of such building as a means of attachment foroperative purposes. Such horsepowers, designed to be driven by horses,mules, or oxen, are made with a vertical shaft carryin ga horizon talmaster-wheel, from which, through bevel-pnions, countershaft,pulley, andbelts, power is transmitted to the machinery which does the work.

It is a well-understood rule inthe putting up of ordinary bevel-gearthat the lines of the cogs, both of driver and driven, should be in theplanes passinglongitudinally through their respective axes of motion,and that such planes at the middle point of the bite or mesh of thecog-wheels should coincide throughout, and in such ease the axial linesof the shafts, if continued, will intersect each other.

Usually in the putting up of bevel-gearing inmanufacturingestablishments, machineshops, &c.,the setting of theaxle-shafts is done by skilled machinists, who understand and inpractice are governed by this principle; but for barn and gin-house workskilled labor is seldom available. The work is usually done by farmersor ordinary carpenters, who have not the necessary skill for alwayssetting the shaft carrying the bevel-pinion exactly or with precisioninthe radial plane of the shaft of the main drive'or master wheel, sothat the bevelwheels may run in practice as they are designed inprinciple. Hence it'too frequently occurs that such shafts are put upout of the proper alignment; and even if the firstalignmentbecorrectitoften happens that the springing or yielding of thebarn or ginhouse timbers, under heavy strains or from other causes,

(No model.)

master-wheel, both on its original setting and also in case it afterwardbe moved or displaced. By this means I dispense with the necessity ofemploying skilled mechanics to set up such horse-powers for use, as suchwork can be done by common laborers, the necessity for nice adj ustmentbeing removed or otherwise provided In the drawing,A represents amaster-wheel carrying on its upperface a bevel-gear, a. Thismaster-wheel, according to its size for different purposes, may be ofall iron or of wood segments on radial arms supported by braces, asdesired. In this case itis supported by a vertical ceniral shaft, B,radial `arms b, and braces b', the latter resting on their lower ends onthe lever-box B', to which the levers are to be bolted for theattachment of the horses. The foot of shaft B rests in a step, b2, whichmay be supported on any desired form of foundation. The upper end 'ofthis shaft is journaled in one or more bxes, c c', secured to thecentral hanger, C. I have shown two of these boxes, c and c', separatedsomewhat, and between them is tted a swivel journal-block, E, consistingof a tubular hub, e, and a journal socket-projection, e. The hub e isbored to fit closely enough on the shaft Bto support the socket ehorizontally, and yet to allow a motion on the shaft in a rotarydirection. Vertical movement of the swivel on the shaft is prevented bycollars ss above and below, which are bound to the shaft by set-screwss2. The height of the swivel can thus be adjusted between the boxes cc', as desired.

1n the socket e', which is carefully bored at right angles to the hub e,is journaled the inner end of counter-shaft F, on which is the bevelpinion a', with its cog working into thecogs a ofthe master-wheel A. Theouter end of this counter shaft is supported by hanger IOO F,and-outside of this hanger is the pulley H for conveying the power tothe thrashing-machine, cotton-gin, or home corn-mill.

Heretofore a nice knowledge of the principle involved and great care hadto be exercised in setting the central hanger, C, and the outsidehanger, F, so as to secure the pinion-shaft F in theright alignment withthe master-wheel shaft B; but with the mounting herein shown no suchnice knowledge or care are necessary. Heretofore if the hanger F wereput up a hairs breadth to the right or to the left of a due position, orif, with the machine in operation, it were moved to the right or to thelelt of that position,thecogs ofboth Wheel and pinion ground abnormallyagainst each other, and the consequences were harder Work on the horses,a premature wearing of the pinion, and an irritation toward anddissatisfaction with the manufacturer. With this improvement the outsidehanger may be put up to the right or to the left, or underany pulling ofthe belt may move to the right or to the left, and, as in either ofthese cases the journal-socket e will of itself veer round in themeasure exactly proportionate, it follows that the cogs of tne pinionwill always converge without deviation exactly toward the pointnecessary to secure their proposed and perfect operation.

With the improvement herein shown and described it is now, therefore, amatter of indifference, sofar as the proper Working ofthe gear isconcerned, how hanger G be set, or whether hanger F' be movedhorizontally or not, since at Whatever point in the circumference hangerF be placed, or if it be moved from its original position,the swiveledjournal-block E will turn on shaft B, so as to bring its socket e inproper line, and thus keep the inner end of the counter-shaftpointingtoward the axial line of the master-wheel shaft. Consequently in settingup my improved horse-power the position of hanger C may be determinedsolely With reference to keeping the main shaftB improper verticalposition, and the hanger F may be 'located at any point with referenceto the desired position of pulley H, for in so doing the `swivel E willaccommodate itself to any suoli position' independent of hanger O. Inthis -way the counter-shaft may without difficulty be set and maintainedin proper line, and the gears a a be made to mesh evenly and properly.

If preferred, a single box may alord bearing for the shaft B, which boxmay be placed either above or below the collars s s', and be attachedtothe central hanger, substantially as either the box c or o.

By using collars ss separate from the boxes c c', with free spacebetween the collars and boxes, as shown, the vertical position ofswively E on shaftB may bedetermined oradjustedindependent of the hangerand its box; also, the counter-shaft will not be effected by verticalmovement of hanger C, due to shifting of timber D by settling orspringing under or when relieved from a load. For these and similarreasons I prefer to secure the swivel E substantially as represented,though in cases not subject to the changes mentioned the collars s s maybe omitted, and the boxes c c be employed to prevent vertical movementof the swivel by making the hub part e of proper length to fill thespace on the shaft between such boxes.

The vertical shaft B may be solid, as shown, and as commonly employed inthe cheaper class ofhorse-powers; or it may be tubular, inclosingacentral cylindricalpost, around which the shaft or sleeve will revolve.

The application and purpose of the swivel or journal block E will besubstantially the same in either case.

I claim herein as my invention- In astationaryhorse-power, thecombination of vertical shaft B, master-wheet A, countershaft F, gearedwith the master-wheel, swiveled journal-block E, having freepivot-connection with shaft A, central hanger, G, for supportg ing theupper end of such shaft, and adjustable bearings s s' on this shaftabove and below the journal-block, substantially as described, wherebyprovision is made for separate adjustment of the journahblock andcentral hunger.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM DEERING.

Witnesses:

MARY C. REXTER, WILLIAM LUTZ.

